September 3, 2025
ST. PAUL, Minn. (September 3, 2025) – Imagine if you could remove an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it would take to power 50 homes with clean electricity for one year. That is the climate impact the new Net Zero Banking Program from Sunrise Banks had in its first six months.
The statistic is one of the many findings shared in the inaugural Net Zero Banking report published by Sunrise Banks, a values-based bank with locations in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The release of the report comes one year after Sunrise Banks launched its innovative Net Zero Banking program.
Net Zero Banking is designed to support the commitment Sunrise Banks made to reach net zero emissions by the year 2050, in alignment with the Paris Climate Agreement Off Site Link. The program consists of two parts:
- Net Zero Deposits: customers can choose to designate money from their checking, savings or certificate of deposit (CD) accounts to support financing for projects that actively help reduce or avoid carbon emissions.
- Net Zero Financing: commercial projects that reduce or avoid carbon emissions – such as energy efficient building upgrades, clean transportation or green building construction – can qualify for financing at a lower rate than a typical commercial loan.
“While large banks in the U.S. are actively financing carbon-intensive business sectors, the Net Zero Banking program is actively financing decarbonization to accelerate climate action and the net zero transition,” says Laura Wildenborg, vice president of strategic lending at Sunrise Banks. “Our customers’ deposits and net zero financing projects can work together to reduce and avoid greenhouse gas emissions.
Here are some more findings from the report:
- From July-December 2024, an average balance of $4.4 million in Net Zero Deposits were allocated to corresponding Net Zero eligible loans.
- Those deposits reduced and avoided putting 242 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That’s like powering approximately 50 single-family homes with clean electricity for one year.
- Moving $10,000 to a Net Zero Deposits account at Sunrise Banks from a climate intensive bank is equivalent to the direct emissions reduced by switching to an electric vehicle for a year.
- As of July 2025, Sunrise Banks financed 29 loans for net zero projects, including clean transportation, renewable energy, green building and energy reduction/efficiency.
To view the full report, visit sunrisebanks.com/net-zero-deposits.
ABOUT SUNRISE BANKS
Sunrise Banks is no ordinary bank; we strive to be a place where money and values meet for our customers and our communities. We do this by prioritizing social responsibility, community impact and environmental sustainability alongside our essential financial products and services. With locations in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sunrise Banks seeks to build meaningful relationships, empower financial wellness and drive positive change.
Sunrise Banks is certified by the U.S. Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a designation earned by approximately 100 banks nationwide. Sunrise Banks is also a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values and a certified B Corp for its demonstrated commitment to transparent corporate governance and positive community impact. Visit sunrisebanks.com to learn more.
Media Contact:
Amanda Theisen, Communications Manager
651-206-2569